1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverted pendulum type vehicle. More specifically, to a technique for keeping the inverted pendulum type vehicle in a standing state in a state in which inverted pendulum control is not carried out.
2. Description of Background Art
An inverted pendulum type vehicle is known that includes a vehicle body frame; a main wheel made by combining a plurality of freely-rotatable driven rollers in such a manner that the rotational axis lines of the driven rollers form an annular shape and left and right drive disks that are rotatably supported by the vehicle body frame in such a manner so as to be substantially concentric with the rotational axis line of the main wheel and to be located on both sides of the main wheel with a plurality of freely-rotatable drive rollers disposed in contact with the driven rollers with a torsional relationship. Drive means is provided that individually drives the left and right drive disks. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-63243.
The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-63243 has steps each composed of a step base part that is provided so as to protrude at the lower side part of a cover serving as a vehicle body outer shell and a step tip part supported by the step base part pivotally around an axis line extending along the front-rear direction. The step tip part can pivot between a first pivotal position at which the step tip part horizontally extends and a second pivotal position at which the tip thereof extends downward. At the first pivotal position, the step tip part forms a footstep that supports a sole of a rider in cooperation with the step base part. On the other hand, the tip of the step tip part can abut against a floor surface at the second pivotal position. Therefore, when the inverted pendulum control is deactivated and the inverted pendulum type vehicle is parked, the step tip parts function as stands and can keep the inverted pendulum type vehicle in a predetermined standing state.
In the inverted pendulum type vehicle according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-63243, in order to avoid unintentional rotation of the step tip part to the second pivotal position when a rider is riding the vehicle, the rotational angle from the first pivotal position to the second pivotal position is set to about 270° and the step tip part is configured so as to be pushed to the first pivotal position side by putting of a foot on the step. Therefore, when the steps are desired to be used as the stands, the step tip parts need to be rotated about 270° from the first pivotal position to the second pivotal position. Thus, operating them with a foot is difficult.